Duncan Scott Is First Swimmer Pre-Selected To Team Scotland For Home Commonwealth Games In 2026
Duncan Scott is the first swimmer to be confirmed on Team Scotland for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow next July.
Scott has been preselected to the squad for the meet that will be held at Tollcross International Swimming Centre from 24-29 July 2026.
Tollcross is also where he made his senior international debut aged 17 at the 2014 edition of the Games. Scott won silver with the Scottish men’s 4×2 free squad since when he’s won a further 12 Commonwealth medals including three golds – the 100 free in 2018 and the 200 free and 200IM at Birmingham 2022.
It was in Birmingham that he became the most decorated Scot in Commonwealth history and two years later in Paris, the 28-year-old became the most decorated Scottish Olympian.
He said through Team Scotland: “Pretty surreal. I think the whole momentum of it is starting to build now and we’re into it fully. That is the next big senior international so it’s coming round fast. To think that my first ever international was in 2014 and we’re back now in Glasgow as well is pretty special. I look pretty similar, just slightly less spots, I think!”
Teams compete as home nations in the Commonwealth Games, with England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland each fielding their own teams rather than competing as Great Britain.
This brings extra spice to the men’s 200 free which will be one of the most competitive events on the programme. Those expected to feature as well as Tokyo Olympics silver medallist Scott include Welshman Matt Richards, who won silver at Paris 2024 where Scott was fourth, Tokyo champion Tom Dean, James Guy, 2015 world champion and two-time Olympic relay champion and Jack McMillan, who was part of the Great Britain 4×2 relay squad that added world gold to their Paris title in Singapore and who’ll represent Northern Ireland in Glasgow.
“That 200 freestyle is going to be an absolute shoot-out,” said Scott. “You’ve got the home nations of the British athletes and then chuck in some pretty special Aussie athletes as well so that’s going to be a tough task. The outcome is going to be determined by how well do I swim it and how good are other people as well.
“There are those little rivalries: we want to go up against England and they’ve got their eyes on Australia but we know we’re not far behind. You break up our 4×2 from worlds: one Englishman, one Northern Irishman, one Scotsman and one Welshman so all different nationalities for a Commonwealth Games. Now it’s about a little head to head which is quite cool.”
